Almost 15% of the UK's electricity was generated from renewables last year, official figures show.

The statistics from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) show a 30% increase in the power coming from renewables in 2013, bringing the share of electricity from sources such as wind, hydropower and biomass up to 14.9%.

More than a third (36%) of the country's electricity was generated from coal, with 27% coming from more expensive gas, and 20% from nuclear power.

The amount of installed renewable capacity was up 27% on 2012, the figures showed, with another 4.2 gigawatts of renewables on the system.

This was mostly due to a 27% increase in onshore wind, with an extra 1.6 gigawatts installed, and a 59% or 1 gigawatt increase in solar electricity panels, both in small scale domestic and community arrays and large scale solar farms,

The statistics showed that both offshore and onshore wind farms were as efficient as gas-fired power stations, operating at the same or higher percentage of their capacity as gas plants.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "The Government's investment in renewable energy is paying off: renewable electricity has more than doubled in just four years - with around 15% of Britain's electricity already coming from clean renewable sources like wind, solar and hydro.

"This massive investment in green energy is accelerating, with 2013 a record year, with almost £8 billion invested across range of renewable technologies.

"A green energy future that once seemed impossible for Britain is fast becoming a reality."

Some 5.2% of total energy consumption, which includes heating and transport as well as electricity, came from renewables, up from 4.2% the previous year. The UK has a legally-binding EU target to source 15% of its energy from renewables by 2020.

Once differences in temperature, including the very cold start to 2013, are taken into account, total energy consumption was down slightly, by 0.3%, continuing a downward trend over the last nine years.

The statistics showed a fall in production of natural gas, oil and coal in 2013, and that energy imports reached record levels in 2013, up 2.3% from 2012.

While much of the focus on Europe's energy security in light of tensions with Russia over the situation in Ukraine has been on gas, the figures reveal that Russia is a key source of coal for the UK.

The UK imported two fifths (41%) of its coal from Russia in 2013, 25% from the US and 23% from Colombia.

But there was a drop in the amount of electricity coming from coal, down three percentage points on 2012, and major power producers used 7.4% less coal in 2013 as a result of lower demand and more renewables, the statistics showed.

Industry body RenewableUK's director of policy, Dr Gordon Edge, said: "This abundance of excellent statistics should make those in Government who have failed to support wind energy sit up and take notice.

"More than half of Britain's clean electricity now comes from onshore and offshore wind. We're now on course to hit 10% of electricity from wind alone this year.

"That's why it's particularly puzzling to see some politicians fail to back the cheapest and most successful renewable technology - onshore wind - at a time when a majority of voters from all the main parties are telling them that they support it.

"Many will ask why some Government ministers act as cheerleaders for technologies like fracking for shale gas that can only deliver supplies years down the line, when wind is delivering here and now, onshore and offshore, keeping all our bills down by becoming more cost effective year after year."

Jenny Banks, energy and climate specialist at WWF UK, said: "We welcome the news that renewables are providing 15% of the UK electricity with over half of this coming from wind and solar, but we are alarmed that electricity from coal is still stubbornly high at 36%.

"The Government is justifiably proud of its record of pushing for tough climate action on the international stage. Yet their new capacity market seems designed to help keep our inefficient and polluting old coal power plants burning dirty coal for years to come.

"If this or future governments want to retain their credibility on climate change on the international stage then they must sort out the coal problem in their own back yard."

Friends of the Earth renewable energy campaigner Alasdair Cameron said: "It's fantastic to see renewable energy making such a huge contribution to powering our economy, and tackling climate change - and with more government support it could deliver much more.

"The old, dirty model of energy production is crumbling away, but ministers have still not updated their thinking.

"Instead of backing coal and blighting Britain with the threat of fracking the Government should be driving forward renewables like wind, and promoting local energy solutions such as solar for our schools, communities and cities."

Comments (10)

But if you look at the figures without the spin-
According to the wind industry (may 2014) , UK currently has 1,278 Windfarms comprising –
9,912 large turbines, + approx 18,000 small turbines,
Total Capacity = 23 GW
See - http://www.renewable
uk.com/en/renewable-
energy/wind-energy/u
k-wind-energy-databa
se/index.cfm/maplarg
e/1

• • Even with all that capacity wind has only provided a measly 7% in the last 9 mths
See- http://www.ukpowerge
neration.info/

• • As I write this UK wind is contributing just 0.26 GW a mere 0.8% to our grid demand !! (we are importing 12 x more than that from France & Holland) & is operating at just 1% of its 23 GW capacity!! - Look here - http://www.gridwatch
.templar.co.uk/

• • Weather systems can be huge, Europe has had high pressure dominating for weeks, so sod all wind power from Ireland to Poland, Italy to Scotland.

It is a very dangerous world, when money & politics, trump science & engineering facts.

But if you look at the figures without the spin-
According to the wind industry (may 2014) , UK currently has 1,278 Windfarms comprising –
9,912 large turbines, + approx 18,000 small turbines,
Total Capacity = 23 GW
See - http://www.renewable
uk.com/en/renewable-
energy/wind-energy/u
k-wind-energy-databa
se/index.cfm/maplarg
e/1
• • Even with all that capacity wind has only provided a measly 7% in the last 9 mths
See- http://www.ukpowerge
neration.info/
• • As I write this UK wind is contributing just 0.26 GW a mere 0.8% to our grid demand !! (we are importing 12 x more than that from France & Holland) & is operating at just 1% of its 23 GW capacity!! - Look here - http://www.gridwatch
.templar.co.uk/
• • Weather systems can be huge, Europe has had high pressure dominating for weeks, so sod all wind power from Ireland to Poland, Italy to Scotland.
• • See the current production from your local RWE windfarm - http://www.rwe.com/w
eb/cms/en/206488/rwe
-innogy/sites/produc
tion-data-live/rwe-r
enewable-energy-live
/
http://standortkarte
.oroe.info/index2.ht
ml?lang=en
Notes: 1. A minus fig indicates them taking power from grid to rotate blades.
2. Capacity in MW but output is in kW, so divide output by 1,000 to compare.
3 . It’s a manual reset.
• • And this is how much EXTRA we pay per mth for low density intermittent ‘green’ energy - http://www.variablep
itch.co.uk/finance/ & yes the figs are £millions/mth.
• Do you really think that’s a sensible way to use precious resources ??
I won’t even start on the community benefits ‘Ponzi scam’. (Google it )
• • Lots more info from-
Department of Energy & Climate Change ( DECC ) & Grid figs
( Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics ( DUKES)
http://tinyurl.com/n
4k7n8 ) - that proves this ‘green policy’ has compromised our energy security.
But, Ed (di*khead) Davey the UKs Energy and Climate Change Secretary, has cunning plans to keep the lights on…
1. Pay industry to stop work - http://www.bbc.co.uk
/news/uk-politics-26
819050
2. Big dirty diesels to backup his ‘green clean’ wind & solar –
Short Term Operating Reserve STOR. - http://tallbloke.wor
dpress.com/2014/06/1
1/the-insane-cost-of
-ed-daveys-green-ene
rgy-policy/
How mad is that ???
It is a very dangerous world, when money & politics, trump science & engineering facts.save energy

Anyway... the Government has just kick off a ten year £1 billion research/development investment in the University of Warwick's Advanced Propulsion Centre Hub to (among other things ) accelerate research into Kinetic Energy Recovery (Flywheels)

Quote... the Kinetic Energy Recovery System ( Flywheel ) is designed to save the braking energy of a bus as it slows for a stop and use it to accelerate the bus back up to speed. By avoiding wasting the energy every time a bus stops the system is projected to deliver fuel savings in the order of 25%.

,,
Flywheels for harvesting transport energy and storing excess renewable energy from wind, solar farms etc...
Strangely a technology that hardly ever gets any media coverage...
Anyway... the Government has just kick off a ten year £1 billion research/development investment in the University of Warwick's Advanced Propulsion Centre Hub to (among other things ) accelerate research into Kinetic Energy Recovery (Flywheels)
Quote... the Kinetic Energy Recovery System ( Flywheel ) is designed to save the braking energy of a bus as it slows for a stop and use it to accelerate the bus back up to speed. By avoiding wasting the energy every time a bus stops the system is projected to deliver fuel savings in the order of 25%.
http://www2.warwick.
ac.uk/newsandevents/
pressreleases/1631_b
illion_advanced/
,,Dan Soton

Anyway... the Government has just kick off a ten year £1 billion research/development investment in the University of Warwick's Advanced Propulsion Centre Hub to (among other things ) accelerate research into Kinetic Energy Recovery (Flywheels)

Quote... the Kinetic Energy Recovery System ( Flywheel ) is designed to save the braking energy of a bus as it slows for a stop and use it to accelerate the bus back up to speed. By avoiding wasting the energy every time a bus stops the system is projected to deliver fuel savings in the order of 25%.

http://www2.warwick.

ac.uk/newsandevents/

pressreleases/1631_b

illion_advanced/

,,

,,

On large scale solar farms..

I don't support covering good Arable / Pasture Land with today's inefficient solar panels when flexible, transparent ultrathin solar panels are just around (5 years off ) the corner..

[quote][p][bold]Dan Soton[/bold] wrote:
,,
Flywheels for harvesting transport energy and storing excess renewable energy from wind, solar farms etc...
Strangely a technology that hardly ever gets any media coverage...
Anyway... the Government has just kick off a ten year £1 billion research/development investment in the University of Warwick's Advanced Propulsion Centre Hub to (among other things ) accelerate research into Kinetic Energy Recovery (Flywheels)
Quote... the Kinetic Energy Recovery System ( Flywheel ) is designed to save the braking energy of a bus as it slows for a stop and use it to accelerate the bus back up to speed. By avoiding wasting the energy every time a bus stops the system is projected to deliver fuel savings in the order of 25%.
http://www2.warwick.
ac.uk/newsandevents/
pressreleases/1631_b
illion_advanced/
,,[/p][/quote],,
On large scale solar farms..
I don't support covering good Arable / Pasture Land with today's inefficient solar panels when flexible, transparent ultrathin solar panels are just around (5 years off ) the corner..
Huge solar (transparent) greenhouses generating power, increasing food yields and saving water is more my thing
http://www.dailyecho
.co.uk/news/11255130
.Community_owned_sol
ar_farm_takes_shape
,,Dan Soton

Anyway... the Government has just kick off a ten year £1 billion research/development investment in the University of Warwick's Advanced Propulsion Centre Hub to (among other things ) accelerate research into Kinetic Energy Recovery (Flywheels)

Quote... the Kinetic Energy Recovery System ( Flywheel ) is designed to save the braking energy of a bus as it slows for a stop and use it to accelerate the bus back up to speed. By avoiding wasting the energy every time a bus stops the system is projected to deliver fuel savings in the order of 25%.

http://www2.warwick.

ac.uk/newsandevents/

pressreleases/1631_b

illion_advanced/

,,

,,

On large scale solar farms..

I don't support covering good Arable / Pasture Land with today's inefficient solar panels when flexible, transparent ultrathin solar panels are just around (5 years off ) the corner..

On Sky TV a few years ago the Captain of MS Queen Victoria boasted that his ship's six diesel engines could power a City..

I say better than boasting... when MS Queen Victoria is under full steam those six diesel engines could power up a FLYWHEEL and when docked use it's stored energy to dramatically reduce diesel pollution in Southampton..

,,

[quote][p][bold]Dan Soton[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Dan Soton[/bold] wrote:
,,
Flywheels for harvesting transport energy and storing excess renewable energy from wind, solar farms etc...
Strangely a technology that hardly ever gets any media coverage...
Anyway... the Government has just kick off a ten year £1 billion research/development investment in the University of Warwick's Advanced Propulsion Centre Hub to (among other things ) accelerate research into Kinetic Energy Recovery (Flywheels)
Quote... the Kinetic Energy Recovery System ( Flywheel ) is designed to save the braking energy of a bus as it slows for a stop and use it to accelerate the bus back up to speed. By avoiding wasting the energy every time a bus stops the system is projected to deliver fuel savings in the order of 25%.
http://www2.warwick.
ac.uk/newsandevents/
pressreleases/1631_b
illion_advanced/
,,[/p][/quote],,
On large scale solar farms..
I don't support covering good Arable / Pasture Land with today's inefficient solar panels when flexible, transparent ultrathin solar panels are just around (5 years off ) the corner..
Huge solar (transparent) greenhouses generating power, increasing food yields and saving water is more my thing
http://www.dailyecho
.co.uk/news/11255130
.Community_owned_sol
ar_farm_takes_shape
,,[/p][/quote],,
Shoreside electricity or Flywheel Energy Storage for Shipping
Quote Echo August 2008.. SHIPS docking in Southampton could be plugged into an onshore power supply or made to run on cleaner fuel to cut harmful diesel polluting the city.
It was estimated as many as 60,000 deaths a year worldwide are caused by emissions of ships running on cheap, sulphur-rich fuel called bunker oil.
By forcing ships berthed in Southampton to switch off their generators and plug into shoreside electricity, emissions being blown into the city would be dramatically reduced.
http://www.dailyecho
.co.uk/news/environm
ent/2429301.Shipping
_in_cleaner_air/
I'm probably a tad bit ahead (by about 10 years ) of the curve here.
On Sky TV a few years ago the Captain of MS Queen Victoria boasted that his ship's six diesel engines could power a City..
I say better than boasting... when MS Queen Victoria is under full steam those six diesel engines could power up a FLYWHEEL and when docked use it's stored energy to dramatically reduce diesel pollution in Southampton..
,,Dan Soton

Anyway... the Government has just kick off a ten year £1 billion research/development investment in the University of Warwick's Advanced Propulsion Centre Hub to (among other things ) accelerate research into Kinetic Energy Recovery (Flywheels)

Quote... the Kinetic Energy Recovery System ( Flywheel ) is designed to save the braking energy of a bus as it slows for a stop and use it to accelerate the bus back up to speed. By avoiding wasting the energy every time a bus stops the system is projected to deliver fuel savings in the order of 25%.

http://www2.warwick.

ac.uk/newsandevents/

pressreleases/1631_b

illion_advanced/

,,

,,

On large scale solar farms..

I don't support covering good Arable / Pasture Land with today's inefficient solar panels when flexible, transparent ultrathin solar panels are just around (5 years off ) the corner..

Quote Echo August 2008.. SHIPS docking in Southampton could be plugged into an onshore power supply or made to run on cleaner fuel to cut harmful diesel polluting the city.

It was estimated as many as 60,000 deaths a year worldwide are caused by emissions of ships running on cheap, sulphur-rich fuel called bunker oil.

By forcing ships berthed in Southampton to switch off their generators and plug into shoreside electricity, emissions being blown into the city would be dramatically reduced.

http://www.dailyecho

.co.uk/news/environm

ent/2429301.Shipping

_in_cleaner_air/

I'm probably a tad bit ahead (by about 10 years ) of the curve here.

On Sky TV a few years ago the Captain of MS Queen Victoria boasted that his ship's six diesel engines could power a City..

I say better than boasting... when MS Queen Victoria is under full steam those six diesel engines could power up a FLYWHEEL and when docked use it's stored energy to dramatically reduce diesel pollution in Southampton..

DEADLY CRUISE AND FERRY AIR EMISSIONS DEBATE: U.K. SHIPPING COMPANIES DECEIVE THE PUBLIC

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Jim Walker

New air emission regulations will shortly affect the U.K. shipping industry. Toxic sulfur emissions must be reduced to 0.1 per cent, from a current high of around 4.5 per cent, by January 1, 2015.

The reason for the new regulations is that high sulfur fuel contributes substantially to emphysema, lung disease, congestive heart failure, birth defects, and premature deaths.

The health risks posed by the cruise industry's use of high sulfur fuels are enormous.

A SINGLE CRUISE SHIP WILL EMIT THE SAME AMOUNT OF SULFUR DIOXIDE AS 13,100,000 (MILLION) CARS AND AS MUCH SOOT AS OVER 1,000,000 (MILLION) CARS.

P&O and other U.K. operators have had a long time to implement scrubber technology to protect the health of their passengers and crew and the general public. But they have persistently refused to do so.

http://www.cruiselaw
news.com/articles/po
llution-1/

,,

[quote][p][bold]Dan Soton[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Dan Soton[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Dan Soton[/bold] wrote:
,,
Flywheels for harvesting transport energy and storing excess renewable energy from wind, solar farms etc...
Strangely a technology that hardly ever gets any media coverage...
Anyway... the Government has just kick off a ten year £1 billion research/development investment in the University of Warwick's Advanced Propulsion Centre Hub to (among other things ) accelerate research into Kinetic Energy Recovery (Flywheels)
Quote... the Kinetic Energy Recovery System ( Flywheel ) is designed to save the braking energy of a bus as it slows for a stop and use it to accelerate the bus back up to speed. By avoiding wasting the energy every time a bus stops the system is projected to deliver fuel savings in the order of 25%.
http://www2.warwick.
ac.uk/newsandevents/
pressreleases/1631_b
illion_advanced/
,,[/p][/quote],,
On large scale solar farms..
I don't support covering good Arable / Pasture Land with today's inefficient solar panels when flexible, transparent ultrathin solar panels are just around (5 years off ) the corner..
Huge solar (transparent) greenhouses generating power, increasing food yields and saving water is more my thing
http://www.dailyecho
.co.uk/news/11255130
.Community_owned_sol
ar_farm_takes_shape
,,[/p][/quote],,
Shoreside electricity or Flywheel Energy Storage for Shipping
Quote Echo August 2008.. SHIPS docking in Southampton could be plugged into an onshore power supply or made to run on cleaner fuel to cut harmful diesel polluting the city.
It was estimated as many as 60,000 deaths a year worldwide are caused by emissions of ships running on cheap, sulphur-rich fuel called bunker oil.
By forcing ships berthed in Southampton to switch off their generators and plug into shoreside electricity, emissions being blown into the city would be dramatically reduced.
http://www.dailyecho
.co.uk/news/environm
ent/2429301.Shipping
_in_cleaner_air/
I'm probably a tad bit ahead (by about 10 years ) of the curve here.
On Sky TV a few years ago the Captain of MS Queen Victoria boasted that his ship's six diesel engines could power a City..
I say better than boasting... when MS Queen Victoria is under full steam those six diesel engines could power up a FLYWHEEL and when docked use it's stored energy to dramatically reduce diesel pollution in Southampton..
,,[/p][/quote],,
Re: When berthed MS Queen Victoria (all cruise ships) could use a FLYWHEEL's stored energy to dramatically reduce diesel pollution in Southampton..
DEADLY CRUISE AND FERRY AIR EMISSIONS DEBATE: U.K. SHIPPING COMPANIES DECEIVE THE PUBLIC
Posted on June 19, 2014 by Jim Walker
New air emission regulations will shortly affect the U.K. shipping industry. Toxic sulfur emissions must be reduced to 0.1 per cent, from a current high of around 4.5 per cent, by January 1, 2015.
The reason for the new regulations is that high sulfur fuel contributes substantially to emphysema, lung disease, congestive heart failure, birth defects, and premature deaths.
The health risks posed by the cruise industry's use of high sulfur fuels are enormous.
A SINGLE CRUISE SHIP WILL EMIT THE SAME AMOUNT OF SULFUR DIOXIDE AS 13,100,000 (MILLION) CARS AND AS MUCH SOOT AS OVER 1,000,000 (MILLION) CARS.
P&O and other U.K. operators have had a long time to implement scrubber technology to protect the health of their passengers and crew and the general public. But they have persistently refused to do so.
http://www.cruiselaw
news.com/articles/po
llution-1/
,,Dan Soton

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! ... The UK and other EU countries are posing a serious threat to the Worlds highly biodiverse forests..

EU BIOFUEL DEMAND IS DRIVING LAND GRABS IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

11th September 2014

With the EU projected to source most of its 'renewable' energy by burning biomass, its policies are leading to widespread land-grabbing and forest destruction, writes Oliver Munnion. And because many of the biomass projects are purely speculative, 'sustainability standards' will do little or nothing to improve practice on the ground.

There's only one sensible and genuinely sustainable course of action: the EU must reduce its demand for energy and wood, and to stop subsidies for large-scale biomass electricity.

IN THE UK ALONE, POWER STATION DEVELOPERS HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS WHICH INVOLVE BURNING OVER 68 MILLION TONNES OF WOOD EVERY YEAR - THAT'S 6.8 TIMES OUR ENTIRE ANNUAL WOOD PRODUCTION.

,,
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! ... The UK and other EU countries are posing a serious threat to the Worlds highly biodiverse forests..
EU BIOFUEL DEMAND IS DRIVING LAND GRABS IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH
11th September 2014
With the EU projected to source most of its 'renewable' energy by burning biomass, its policies are leading to widespread land-grabbing and forest destruction, writes Oliver Munnion. And because many of the biomass projects are purely speculative, 'sustainability standards' will do little or nothing to improve practice on the ground.
There's only one sensible and genuinely sustainable course of action: the EU must reduce its demand for energy and wood, and to stop subsidies for large-scale biomass electricity.
IN THE UK ALONE, POWER STATION DEVELOPERS HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS WHICH INVOLVE BURNING OVER 68 MILLION TONNES OF WOOD EVERY YEAR - THAT'S 6.8 TIMES OUR ENTIRE ANNUAL WOOD PRODUCTION.
http://www.theecolog
ist.org/campaigning/
2550048/eu_biofuel_d
emand_is_driving_lan
d_grabs_in_the_globa
l_south.html
,,Dan Soton

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! ... The UK and other EU countries are posing a serious threat to the Worlds highly biodiverse forests..

EU BIOFUEL DEMAND IS DRIVING LAND GRABS IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

11th September 2014

With the EU projected to source most of its 'renewable' energy by burning biomass, its policies are leading to widespread land-grabbing and forest destruction, writes Oliver Munnion. And because many of the biomass projects are purely speculative, 'sustainability standards' will do little or nothing to improve practice on the ground.

There's only one sensible and genuinely sustainable course of action: the EU must reduce its demand for energy and wood, and to stop subsidies for large-scale biomass electricity.

IN THE UK ALONE, POWER STATION DEVELOPERS HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS WHICH INVOLVE BURNING OVER 68 MILLION TONNES OF WOOD EVERY YEAR - THAT'S 6.8 TIMES OUR ENTIRE ANNUAL WOOD PRODUCTION.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!.. plans are afoot to build a land grabbing, pollution generating timber/grass incinerating Helius biomass plant in the heart of Southampton..

GREENHOUSE GAS LEVELS RISING AT FASTEST RATE SINCE 1984

9 September 2014 Last updated at 03:09

Matt McGrath By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News
A surge in atmospheric CO2 saw levels of greenhouse gases reach record levels in 2013, according to new figures.

Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere between 2012 and 2013 grew at their fastest rate since 1984.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says that it highlights the need for a global climate treaty.

But the UK's energy secretary Ed Davey said that any such agreement might not contain legally binding emissions cuts, as has been previously envisaged.

The WMO's annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin doesn't measure emissions from power station smokestacks but instead records how much of the warming gases remain in the atmosphere after the complex interactions that take place between the air, the land and the oceans.

The bulletin suggests that in 2013, the increase in CO2 was due not only to increased emissions but also to a reduced carbon uptake by the Earth's biosphere.

THE SCIENTISTS AT THE WMO ARE PUZZLED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT. THAT LAST TIME THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE BIOSPHERE'S ABILITY TO ABSORB CARBON WAS 1998, WHEN THERE WAS EXTENSIVE BURNING OF BIOMASS WORLDWIDE, COUPLED WITH EL NINO CONDITIONS.

"In 2013 there are no obvious impacts on the biosphere so it is more worrying," said Oksana Tarasova.

http://www.bbc.co.uk
/news/science-enviro
nment-29115845

[quote][p][bold]Dan Soton[/bold] wrote:
,,
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! ... The UK and other EU countries are posing a serious threat to the Worlds highly biodiverse forests..
EU BIOFUEL DEMAND IS DRIVING LAND GRABS IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH
11th September 2014
With the EU projected to source most of its 'renewable' energy by burning biomass, its policies are leading to widespread land-grabbing and forest destruction, writes Oliver Munnion. And because many of the biomass projects are purely speculative, 'sustainability standards' will do little or nothing to improve practice on the ground.
There's only one sensible and genuinely sustainable course of action: the EU must reduce its demand for energy and wood, and to stop subsidies for large-scale biomass electricity.
IN THE UK ALONE, POWER STATION DEVELOPERS HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS WHICH INVOLVE BURNING OVER 68 MILLION TONNES OF WOOD EVERY YEAR - THAT'S 6.8 TIMES OUR ENTIRE ANNUAL WOOD PRODUCTION.
http://www.theecolog
ist.org/campaigning/
2550048/eu_biofuel_d
emand_is_driving_lan
d_grabs_in_the_globa
l_south.html
,,[/p][/quote],,
WARNING! .. Burning WOOD biomass reduces the biosphere's ability to absorb carbon.
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!.. plans are afoot to build a land grabbing, pollution generating timber/grass incinerating Helius biomass plant in the heart of Southampton..
GREENHOUSE GAS LEVELS RISING AT FASTEST RATE SINCE 1984
9 September 2014 Last updated at 03:09
Matt McGrath By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News
A surge in atmospheric CO2 saw levels of greenhouse gases reach record levels in 2013, according to new figures.
Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere between 2012 and 2013 grew at their fastest rate since 1984.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says that it highlights the need for a global climate treaty.
But the UK's energy secretary Ed Davey said that any such agreement might not contain legally binding emissions cuts, as has been previously envisaged.
The WMO's annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin doesn't measure emissions from power station smokestacks but instead records how much of the warming gases remain in the atmosphere after the complex interactions that take place between the air, the land and the oceans.
The bulletin suggests that in 2013, the increase in CO2 was due not only to increased emissions but also to a reduced carbon uptake by the Earth's biosphere.
THE SCIENTISTS AT THE WMO ARE PUZZLED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT. THAT LAST TIME THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE BIOSPHERE'S ABILITY TO ABSORB CARBON WAS 1998, WHEN THERE WAS EXTENSIVE BURNING OF BIOMASS WORLDWIDE, COUPLED WITH EL NINO CONDITIONS.
"In 2013 there are no obvious impacts on the biosphere so it is more worrying," said Oksana Tarasova.
http://www.bbc.co.uk
/news/science-enviro
nment-29115845Dan Soton

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! ... The UK and other EU countries are posing a serious threat to the Worlds highly biodiverse forests..

EU BIOFUEL DEMAND IS DRIVING LAND GRABS IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

11th September 2014

With the EU projected to source most of its 'renewable' energy by burning biomass, its policies are leading to widespread land-grabbing and forest destruction, writes Oliver Munnion. And because many of the biomass projects are purely speculative, 'sustainability standards' will do little or nothing to improve practice on the ground.

There's only one sensible and genuinely sustainable course of action: the EU must reduce its demand for energy and wood, and to stop subsidies for large-scale biomass electricity.

IN THE UK ALONE, POWER STATION DEVELOPERS HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS WHICH INVOLVE BURNING OVER 68 MILLION TONNES OF WOOD EVERY YEAR - THAT'S 6.8 TIMES OUR ENTIRE ANNUAL WOOD PRODUCTION.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!.. plans are afoot to build a land grabbing, pollution generating timber/grass incinerating Helius biomass plant in the heart of Southampton..

GREENHOUSE GAS LEVELS RISING AT FASTEST RATE SINCE 1984

9 September 2014 Last updated at 03:09

Matt McGrath By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News
A surge in atmospheric CO2 saw levels of greenhouse gases reach record levels in 2013, according to new figures.

Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere between 2012 and 2013 grew at their fastest rate since 1984.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says that it highlights the need for a global climate treaty.

But the UK's energy secretary Ed Davey said that any such agreement might not contain legally binding emissions cuts, as has been previously envisaged.

The WMO's annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin doesn't measure emissions from power station smokestacks but instead records how much of the warming gases remain in the atmosphere after the complex interactions that take place between the air, the land and the oceans.

The bulletin suggests that in 2013, the increase in CO2 was due not only to increased emissions but also to a reduced carbon uptake by the Earth's biosphere.

THE SCIENTISTS AT THE WMO ARE PUZZLED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT. THAT LAST TIME THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE BIOSPHERE'S ABILITY TO ABSORB CARBON WAS 1998, WHEN THERE WAS EXTENSIVE BURNING OF BIOMASS WORLDWIDE, COUPLED WITH EL NINO CONDITIONS.

&quot;In 2013 there are no obvious impacts on the biosphere so it is more worrying," said Oksana Tarasova.

http://www.bbc.co.uk

/news/science-enviro

nment-29115845

,,

Helius heading for bankruptcy..

Not looking good for Helius's land grabbing, pollution generating timber/grass incinerating biomass projects..

Tue, 16th September 2014 -

Helius Energy has received notification from an investment partner that it does not intend to participate in providing equity to the Avonmouth project.

http://www.heliusene
rgy.com/rns_viewer.p
hp?id=22048072

,,

[quote][p][bold]Dan Soton[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Dan Soton[/bold] wrote:
,,
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! ... The UK and other EU countries are posing a serious threat to the Worlds highly biodiverse forests..
EU BIOFUEL DEMAND IS DRIVING LAND GRABS IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH
11th September 2014
With the EU projected to source most of its 'renewable' energy by burning biomass, its policies are leading to widespread land-grabbing and forest destruction, writes Oliver Munnion. And because many of the biomass projects are purely speculative, 'sustainability standards' will do little or nothing to improve practice on the ground.
There's only one sensible and genuinely sustainable course of action: the EU must reduce its demand for energy and wood, and to stop subsidies for large-scale biomass electricity.
IN THE UK ALONE, POWER STATION DEVELOPERS HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS WHICH INVOLVE BURNING OVER 68 MILLION TONNES OF WOOD EVERY YEAR - THAT'S 6.8 TIMES OUR ENTIRE ANNUAL WOOD PRODUCTION.
http://www.theecolog
ist.org/campaigning/
2550048/eu_biofuel_d
emand_is_driving_lan
d_grabs_in_the_globa
l_south.html
,,[/p][/quote],,
WARNING! .. Burning WOOD biomass reduces the biosphere's ability to absorb carbon.
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!.. plans are afoot to build a land grabbing, pollution generating timber/grass incinerating Helius biomass plant in the heart of Southampton..
GREENHOUSE GAS LEVELS RISING AT FASTEST RATE SINCE 1984
9 September 2014 Last updated at 03:09
Matt McGrath By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News
A surge in atmospheric CO2 saw levels of greenhouse gases reach record levels in 2013, according to new figures.
Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere between 2012 and 2013 grew at their fastest rate since 1984.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says that it highlights the need for a global climate treaty.
But the UK's energy secretary Ed Davey said that any such agreement might not contain legally binding emissions cuts, as has been previously envisaged.
The WMO's annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin doesn't measure emissions from power station smokestacks but instead records how much of the warming gases remain in the atmosphere after the complex interactions that take place between the air, the land and the oceans.
The bulletin suggests that in 2013, the increase in CO2 was due not only to increased emissions but also to a reduced carbon uptake by the Earth's biosphere.
THE SCIENTISTS AT THE WMO ARE PUZZLED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT. THAT LAST TIME THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE BIOSPHERE'S ABILITY TO ABSORB CARBON WAS 1998, WHEN THERE WAS EXTENSIVE BURNING OF BIOMASS WORLDWIDE, COUPLED WITH EL NINO CONDITIONS.
"In 2013 there are no obvious impacts on the biosphere so it is more worrying," said Oksana Tarasova.
http://www.bbc.co.uk
/news/science-enviro
nment-29115845[/p][/quote],,
Helius heading for bankruptcy..
Not looking good for Helius's land grabbing, pollution generating timber/grass incinerating biomass projects..
Tue, 16th September 2014 -
Helius Energy has received notification from an investment partner that it does not intend to participate in providing equity to the Avonmouth project.
http://www.heliusene
rgy.com/rns_viewer.p
hp?id=22048072
,,Dan Soton

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